What It Is to Believe God
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February 07, 2016 |
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 Senior Pastor Dr. Jaerock Lee
"By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible" (Hebrews 11:3).
If you have true faith, nothing is impossible for you. However, if you do not know God properly, you cannot have true faith. Without this faith it will be hard for you to experience His power no matter hard you pray. Therefore, you have to know what it is to 'believe God'. Then you will be able to meet and experience Him.
1. Who is God?
God is Goodness and Light. He is the Author of the 66 books of the Bible. God inspired many people to record the Bible over a very long period of time. True believers in God believe that the Bible is the Word of God and obey it.
God said, 'I Am Who I Am', and He is the Judge of the Final Judgment. He is totally different from idols that are made and carved with hands of men. God is 'Who He Is', and He has existed from everlasting and will exist until everlasting.
Above all, God is the Creator who created the heavens, the earth, and all things in them. He is the Almighty. Genesis 1:1 reads, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Hebrews 11:3 says, "By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible." With the power of God, the heavens, the earth, the sun, the moon, stars, grass, trees, birds, animals, and fish were created. And man was made in God's image.
2. The various kinds of evidences of God the Creator
Creating something out of nothing does not agree with our worldly knowledge and experience. However, there are countless evidences of this creation around us. For example, all people have two eyes and two ears, and all have one nose with two nostrils. Birds and fish as well as land animals are all the same. According to the character of each species, there might be a slight difference but the structure and location are virtually the same. It shows that there is the only one Creator.
There are many additional proofs that make us admit to the fact that there is but the one Creator when we look around at nature and the universe. But some people still do not believe God (Romans 1:20). That is why God shows His powerful works as the clear proofs. In other words, by showing signs and wonders that men can never perform, He wants people to believe God the Creator.
In the Bible are written many kinds of powerful works. In the powerful works, the sun and the moon stopped, the flow of the river stopped, the fire came down from heaven, the dead came to life, and many kinds of diseases were healed. Such works of God the Almighty are still being manifested by those who have faith, and Manmin Central Church has proved the living God through endless powerful works since its opening.
3. The powerful works of God the Creator
God's powerful works that are especially remarkable are works of healing. The works include healing of various cancers, cerebral palsy, stroke, ruptured discs, arthritis, leukemia, and AIDS. Many incurable and permanent diseases as well have been cured through faith.
Evil and dirty demons went out, and people with difficulties in walking came to walk and jump, many have fully recovered from disfiguring burns and scalds. People in coma due to cerebral hemorrhage, acute indigestion, and carbon-dioxide gas poisoning came around. Many married couples who suffered from infertility received the blessing of conception. Those who were born blind, deaf, and mute came to see, hear, and speak.
Above all else, when I was on the doorstep of death I was revived by the power of God. Before I believed God, I had suffered from so many diseases for seven years that every part of my body except for my two eyes had problems. I was called "Department Store of Diseases". However, in spring of 1974, I met God and at that very moment I was healed of all kinds of diseases and infirmities. Since then none of my family members have ever had to see a doctor or take medicine. Many church members also don't have to.
The power of God the Creator is not limited to just healing works like those mentioned. When it rained heavily, it stopped immediately through the prayer. And when the sun was scorching hot, clouds came and covered the sun through faith. My church members have experienced such works of controlling phenomena of weather so many times.
Also, when I pray with my hands on pictures, names written on paper, or handkerchiefs, the power of God is manifested transcending space and time (Acts 19:11-12). It is not understandable with human thoughts and knowledge, but nothing is impossible with the power of God the Creator.
4. Biblical examples of the power of God
In the Bible, before people received the answers to their prayers and experienced His power, they had shown the evidences of their faith and thereby they were recognized by God.
Naaman was acknowledged by God because he obeyed His Word. He was the commander of the army of Aram and a great man in his country. But he had leprosy. He heard about Elisha, who had performed with the power of God and went to him. But Elisha did not personally greet him, but just sent his servant who told Naaman to go and wash himself in the Jordan River seven times. Naaman was offended at first, but eventually he obeyed the word of Elisha and dipped himself in the Jordan. And his leprosy was cleansed. Here, Naaman's dipping seven times in the Jordan spiritually means his sins were cleansed in the water, that is, the Word of God. The number 'seven' is the number of perfection, and it means that he was forgiven perfectly.
King Solomon's faith was recognized because he prepared his vessel for the answer with all his heart. He offered up 10,000 burnt offerings. It required a lot of time, effort, and money. If he had not believed the living God, he would never have shown such dedication. So, God recognized his faith and gave him wisdom as he wanted. But also God gave him wealth, honor, and a long life that Solomon had not asked for.
A Syrophoenician woman received her answer by asking unchangingly and humbly with faith. When she asked Jesus to drive away demons from her daughter, Jesus did not answer her request but rather He likened her to a dog. If she had not had faith, she would have felt hurt. However, she more humbly asked for it, and her daughter could be healed (Matthew 15:21-28).
In addition to these examples, there are so many varied evidences of faith. If a person has faith worthy to receive the answer, he may profess faith with joy and thanks and pray with happiness in any kind of situation. A person with true faith cannot help rejoicing and giving thanks all the time.
Also, if we believe God, we will also believe all the Scriptures of the Bible are God-breathed and obey them. We live in Light because God is Light, and we try to live in goodness and change our hearts because God is goodness. God regards it as faith, taking delight in such deeds and He will fulfill our hearts' desire.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, God lets us reap according to whatever we sow. He is pleased with our deeds of faith and repays us with 30, 60, and 100 times what is planted. I pray in the name of the Lord that you will glorify God by receiving His great answers and blessings.
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